Warm May weather lifted florists and landscaping spend as overall card spending dipped 3.6%. Restaurants and subscriptions remained strong.
Improved weather conditions in late May delivered a notable uplift for Ireland’s florists and landscaping businesses, according to the latest Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse data.
Card spending softened during the month by 3.6% compared with the previous year, reflecting a modest cooling in consumer spend.
“The data shows consumers are still willing to spend on fun experiences, digital services and select retail, even as pressures on discretionary budgets remain”
Within the month several sectors recorded strong gains driven by seasonal factors and evolving spending choices.
Four seasons in one month
The warm, dry spell at the end of the month helped spark a sharp rise in demand for outdoor and lifestyle services. For example, spending on florists rose by 61.9% year-on-year, while landscaping services saw a55.9% jump as households invested in gardens and outdoor spaces.
Electrical goods saw the strongest increase in retail spending, rising 11.8% in May compared to May 2025, while subscription spending surged by 12.8%, highlighting ongoing consumer demand for digital services.
Hospitality performed strongly, with spending in restaurants and bars up 6.9% year on year, and entertainment up 2.8%, with consumers continuing to prioritise fun experiences.
Spend on clothing declined, falling 7.9%, while air travel (-6.4%) and car rentals (-6.7%) showed a softening in travel demand. Charitable donations slipped slightly by 1.8%, pointing to tighter discretionary budgets. There was also a fall in ATM withdrawals, down 7.3% compared to May last year.
Essential spending remained broadly stable – grocery spending saw a modest increase of 0.63%, while spend on health (-0.05%) was largely flat. Smaller increases were recorded in education (+1.2%) and professional services (+2.3%).
“While overall card spending softened in May, the data shows consumers are still willing to spend on fun experiences, digital services and select retail, even as pressures on discretionary budgets remain,” said Owen Clifford, head of Retail Sector at Bank of Ireland.
“Higher costs of long-haul travel and geopolitical volatility may all be contributing to reduced travel spending. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues and if the summer brings an increase in staycation spending.”
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